“Why?”
“Mainframe? Servicing? Tonight? Did you forget?”
“Oh crap, that’s right. Okay, we’ll come back Sunday, then.”
Lucas backed up their instrument readings and data logs onto a USB flash drive in case he wanted to review the data later. He unzipped Drew’s backpack and put the thumb drive and the black powder container into it.
The brothers followed established shutdown procedures for their equipment before leaving the lab and heading back to their apartment.
Lucas was looking forward to crawling into bed. He hoped when he woke up in the morning, the events of the day would turn out to be nothing but a bad dream. A long, painful, never-ending nightmare. One he planned to forget ever happened.
SEVEN
Saturday, December 22
The next morning Lucas stepped out of the handicapped-accessible shower stall in their apartment, wiping himself off with a beige terry-cloth towel. The bathroom was filled with rising steam trails after his long, hot cleansing, flooding his nostrils with moisture.
He closed his eyes and slid in front of the mirror, never wanting the relaxing moment to end. The tranquility raced into his soul, filling him with peace. He took a few moments to let the comforting feeling soak in and register, because he knew when he opened his eyes again, reality would return with a vengeance.
There was a good possibility his life might never be the same again after this blissful moment passed. If he was right, he needed to remember what it all felt like before the balance of his own history began to write itself into the annals of time. A future history filled with ramifications from a series of poor decisions.
Lucas sucked in a deep breath and held it for a three count before letting the air out in a slow release. He repeated the same methodical breathing process two more times, thinking of nothing but the tepid humidity caressing his skin. When he was done, he felt invigorated and ready to face the day. It was time to open his eyes.
He wiped off a spot on the mirror with the towel, clearing a path to witness the pain. There it was—the look of disaster—staring back at him. A face littered with the aftereffects from the previous day’s debacles.
There was nothing he could do about all that had happened except move forward and take destiny on with all he could muster. And that’s what he decided to do—right there, right then—it was time to man up.
He slipped on his boxer briefs and a pair of ankle-high white socks he had sitting on the bathroom counter. Then he wiped off the rest of the mirror so he could keep watch on his hands as they lathered up his face with shaving cream.
“What do you wanna do for breakfast?” he yelled to Drew, almost smearing some of the cream into his right eye.
“Hang on a minute, I’m on the phone,” Drew yelled back from the other room.
Lucas scraped the five-bladed razor across the middle of his chin, trying not to cut open any of his childhood scars. The blade pulled and ripped at his stubble, reminding him to buy replacements at the campus drugstore. When he finished, he rinsed off his face, toweled it dry, and then waited for signs of blood to appear. There were none. He ran a blast of hot water through the blades and tapped the razor twice against the edge of the sink.
Drew rolled into the bathroom and squeezed past the back of Lucas’ legs, positioning his wheelchair between the sink and the toilet. Their apartment had an oversized handicapped accessible bathroom, its only redeeming quality. Drew put his maroon-colored shaving kit on the edge of the sink, along with a can of air freshener. The can was still shrink-wrapped, with a price sticker on its side.
“Round two?” Lucas asked, sending a wide smile at his brother.
Drew laughed. “I should’ve known better than to have those onion rings yesterday.”
“Can you wait a minute? I just need to brush my teeth.”
“Sorry, can’t. I’ve been holding on too long already. I think that’s the longest shower you’ve ever taken in your life.”
“Yeah, got lost in my head for bit. Sorry. Needed to chill.”
“You should probably get out of here. What I have to do ain’t gonna be pretty.”
Lucas laughed, appreciating the delicate touch in his brother’s words. He was usually much more graphic about his bowel movements, like any other college student would be. He gave Drew an extra roll of toilet paper from under the sink. “Here, sounds like you might need this.”
* * *
Lucas was on the couch when he heard the toilet flush and the air freshener canister go off in three long bursts. He went into the bathroom and stood next to Drew, who was washing his hands in the sink.
“I think you need to use more of the spray. It’s hard to breathe in here,” Lucas said, holding the shirt collar over his nose.
“I don’t smell anything.”
“You never do. Like I said yesterday in the lab, your sniffer ain’t working.”
Lucas dodged his brother’s left arm as Drew removed his pajama top. It was all part of his brother’s shaving ritual. After that, Drew would spend a good ten minutes brushing each of his teeth twenty-one times.
“Damn, how many push-ups did you do today?” Lucas asked, seeing Drew’s pumped up biceps.
“Three hundred seventy-five, a new personal best.”
Lucas looked at his physique in the mirror. “I’d be lucky to do fifty. Plus it would take me all day.”
“I had a lot of extra energy today.”
“Maybe you should think about wearing a short-sleeved shirt, to show off those guns to the ladies.”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
Lucas flexed his right bicep in the mirror, but it was barely noticeable. “I know I would if I had your biceps. It seems like no matter how hard I try, I can’t put on any weight. I still look like I did in eighth grade. Even my koala bear birthmark looks the same. Nothing ever changes.”
“Except you’re a foot taller.”
“Seriously, dude, you should think about it. I see major hotties checking you out all the time.”
“I doubt that. Besides, I don’t care about them. I figure I’ve found the only girl for me.”
“Who?”
“Abby.”
“Our new lab assistant?”
Drew smiled.
“Granted, she’s smokin’ hot, but you just met her. She could be a bunny-boiler for all you know. Besides, how do you know she’s even interested?”
“Because she gave me her phone number yesterday and I just called her. We’re meeting this morning for coffee at the Wildcat House.”
Lucas was impressed by his brother’s initiative, especially since Drew didn’t drink coffee. His brother was more of a milk and cookies kind of guy.
“Am I invited?”
“Are you serious? It’s sort of a date. I’d look totally lame if I brought my brother along to help me out. Besides, I’m pretty sure she’s only expecting me.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I’ll just grab something here.”
“I guess it would be okay, though. It’s up to you. She probably won’t mind if you join us.”
“No, you go ahead. I’m gonna make some cinnamon oatmeal. Maybe even fry up a slab of bacon,” Lucas said, trying to flex his non-existent chest muscles in the mirror. “You might want to bring her a gift.”
“What kind of gift?”
Lucas smiled. “Like a dozen red roses wrapped in a big yellow bow. She obviously likes flowers since she wears them in her hair.”
“I don’t know. That sounds expensive. Can’t I just get her something small?”
“Maybe a box of chocolates?”
“I’ll think about it,” Drew said, thumbing through the dust inside his wallet. “Hey, when Mom calls later, be sure to find out what the cardiologist said. I was planning to ask her, but since I won’t be here—”
“Do you really think you’ll be gone that long?”
Drew grinned. “I hope so.”
* * *
Drew waited for
the shuttle driver to retrieve his wheelchair from the rack on the front bumper of the bus. After getting in his chair, he thanked the driver and tipped him a dollar, not knowing if gratuity was appropriate or if the amount were sufficient. Lucas normally took care of fetching his wheelchair from the rack and gratuities, so tipping the driver was uncharted territory for him. Either way, the buck was all he could spare.
He made his way along the sidewalk next to the science lab. To his right was a flower garden flush with the glowing reds and enchanting purples of mums, pansies, petunias, and some other flowers he did not recognize. Perhaps the botany department was experimenting with some new type of flora, genetically modified to burst open with vivid colors and fragrances. He strolled next to the flowerbed, reached down, and snapped off one of the more radiant red flowers. He placed it across his lap, then un-tucked his shirt and used it to hide the gift.
Drew resumed his trip, entering the west end of the Student Union, where he rode the elevator up two levels and found Abby sitting at a table near the front of the Wildcat House restaurant. In front of her were two jumbo-sized Styrofoam cups of coffee and a plate of muffins.
He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he could really go through with it. She was more gorgeous than he remembered, and was wearing a low-cut pink sweater and pair of what looked like tight blue denim stretch jeans. Her long black hair fell over her clear skin in a soft cascade, and her red full lips stirred feelings inside his body that he wasn’t used to dealing with in the wild, so to speak.
She smiled when they made eye contact. Drew blushed. She stood up and walked over to greet him, catching him off guard when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for a tight hug. Drew went to hug her back, but missed the opportunity when she let go before he could react. She looked into his eyes, as if he needed to say something.
He swallowed hard, scrambling for something cool to say. Something that would cover up the fact that he failed to hug her back and may have embarrassed her. “Wow, it’s nice in here,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear—not what he expected his lips to say.
Arggg, could the words have been any less cool? I’m such a geek.
“Haven’t you been in here before?” she asked, looking away as if she just became disinterested in him. Then her eyes returned, and so did her smile.
He relaxed a bit, slipping into the comfort of her gaze. “No. We always eat in the cafeteria on the first floor. I try to avoid stairs whenever I can. Tough on the knees, if you know what I mean.”
She laughed, glancing at his wheelchair for a second.
But he wasn’t trying to be funny. Oh well, her eyes were totally focused on him so he decided to just go with it.
“Well, in that case, I guess it’s up to me to show you the ropes. I know all the coolest hot spots and how to avoid being on your knees,” she said, winking, then handing him one of the cups of coffee when he reached the cozy two-person table. “I love this place. It’s my favorite place to sit and chill on campus.”
He smiled, then put the cup on the table before sliding his wheelchair under the edge. He was sitting directly across from her, only an arm’s length away. He wasn’t sure if the time was right, but couldn’t wait any longer. He reached under his shirt to retrieve the flower he’d picked from the garden outside, then gave it to her. “This is for you.”
“Oh Drew, it’s so beautiful. Thank you sooooo much. Nobody has ever given me flowers before.”
Drew smiled. “To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever given someone flowers.” The instant those words left his lips, he felt like such a tool. Smooth, he thought. Let her know exactly how inexperienced you are. Could you be any more of a total goof?
“What kind of flower is it?”
“I really don’t know. But when I saw it, it made me think of you. It’s breathtaking.” He wasn’t sure where those words came from, but he was impressed with himself. Just when he thought he couldn’t be more lame, he actually sounded smooth and charming, as if he’d done this before. Lucas would be proud of him. So would his adoptive father, if he were still alive.
Abby gently hugged the flower across her chest. She stood up, came to his side of the table, and then hugged him again, though this time she lingered much longer.
He took a deep, slow breath and let the aroma of her hair filter into his nose. Apple was the scent he detected, and the touch of her smooth skin made him blush again—but this time he felt the blush hit his entire body.
A second chance, he thought. Don’t mess up.
He wrapped his arms around her, finding her tiny body soft and inviting. The warmth of her gentle breath caressed his neck and her sweet perfume was intoxicating. The combination of everything made him tremble, and he was glad she couldn’t see his hands or read his thoughts. He was in heaven, praying she’d never let go. But she did.
Drew wasn’t sure what to say next, so he just smelled his cup of steaming java, hoping she might continue the conversation. The coffee blend had an enjoyable aroma. If it tasted half as good as it smelled, he might actually like it.
He took a sip, and then understood why he avoided coffee, as a rule. It was nasty. It tasted like feet. Old feet that had been wrapped in the same pair of socks for a week. He wanted to spit it back into the cup, but figured that wouldn’t look too cool on a first date. Abby had just said she loved the place, so he needed to play along. He smiled at her, then sucked in another mouthful. The java was scorching hot, burning the roof of his mouth. He hated it. Every last drop.
“Do you like it? It’s my favorite,” she said.
“Yes. It’s really delicious.” He tore open and dumped four packs of sugar into it. He took another drink, wondering if he’d ever get used to the disgusting taste. It was bitter and pungent. The four packets of sugar didn’t help take the edge off. “Yum,” he said. “They sure know how to do it right in this place.”
“Yeah, I come here all the time. It’s always packed. Did you have any trouble getting here?”
“No, I took the shuttle. It dropped me off a block away.”
“Lucas didn’t drive you?”
“No, we don’t have a car. But the shuttle’s pretty handy. Not expensive, either.”
“Do you live close by?”
“We’re just north of Speedway, in an old apartment building Dr. Kleezebee owns.”
“He owns an apartment building? I never would’ve guessed that by the way he dresses. Looks like he shops at Goodwill.”
“Don’t let his appearance fool you; Kleezebee’s loaded.”
“Really? Dr. Kleezebee?”
“It’s true. Have you ever heard of BTX Enterprises?”
“Hmmm,” she said, then hesitated. “Actually, I have seen their signs all over town. At construction sites and stuff, I think. Are they a developer or something like that?
“They have their hands in a bunch of things. It’s Kleezebee’s company.”
“It’s his?”
“Yep. He owns it.”
“Wow, impressive. If I remember right, aren’t they building the new Atlantis World Mall halfway between here and Phoenix?”
Drew nodded. “They are. I can’t wait to see it. It’s going to be the world’s largest indoor mall by the time they’re finished. Kleezebee told me they’re building a really cool science exhibit for the kids, too. I hope it includes a telescope for some decent nighttime viewing. The kids will love that. I just wish it was going to be closer.”
“Is your apartment nice?”
“Not really. It’s old and small. But it does have a bathroom big enough for my chair. I need handrails and stuff. Kleezebee lets us live there for free, so we can’t complain.”
“That’s very generous of him,” she replied with a surprised look on her face.
“He does that for a lot of his staff. Bruno and Trevor live in our complex, too. He even keeps a place there, though I’m not sure why. He’s never there. I think he sleeps in his office most nights.”
“I see he wears a wedding ring. Is he married?” she asked.
“Yeah, supposedly. That’s the story, at least. I don’t think anyone’s ever seen his wife, though. I’ve been in his office and his apartment, but there aren’t any pictures of her or any kids. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what the deal is.”
Drew’s eyes wandered away from Abby on their own, looking beyond her at the checkout counter along the back wall of the Wildcat House. A broad-shouldered man with a Mohawk haircut was standing in line, talking to two female students in front of him. Drew recognized him. It was the jerk rugby player from the altercation in the cafeteria—the one who had shoved his wheelchair across the room. His heart raced and he started to sweat.
Not now, he thought. Not in front of Abby.
If the rugby player decided to pick on him again, he’d be humiliated. He should have invited Lucas along for the date.
“Is it a two-bedroom?” Abby asked.
Drew slumped down in his chair and leaned to his right, using Abby as a shield. If the jock turned his way, he’d be hidden from view. He looked down at his muffin and coffee. He’d read somewhere that if you don’t stare at someone, they’re less likely to turn around and look at you. Some kind of psychic connection, the article said.
“Did you hear me?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“Is your apartment a two-bedroom?”
“No, it’s only a one. Lucas and I share a room, just like we did as kids. What about you?” Drew kept his eyes on Abby and prayed Mohawk man was preoccupied with the girls he was talking to. Abby’s smoldering eyes drew him in and he focused on the soothing sound of her voice.
“I live in Cochise Hall. It’s just on the other side of the Science Lab.”
Drew took a full bite of the chocolate chip muffin and washed it down with another sip of the revolting coffee. His throat wasn’t working properly, making it difficult to swallow. He was worried that if he choked or coughed—if he made any move or noise at all—the rugby player might notice him.
Then he realized he was sweating like a pig and his face was red. He was sure Abby could sense his nervousness. He went to take another sip of coffee to wash down the muffin, but accidentally swallowed more than he could handle. He choked, coughed, and had to grab his napkin from the table to wipe the coffee dripping down his chin, sending his fork clinking onto the floor.
Linkage (The Narrows of Time Series Book 1) Page 8
