Endue: Women, Twins, Cyborgs - L. Ann Marie Page 0,59
a heart attack when you didn’t answer. He knew I was upset over the cyborg thing and thought you were avoiding me. He told Cort.”
Men are so weird. “Cyborg thing, what Tide said?”
“Yeah. I thought that’s why you were avoiding me.”
I start laughing. He shakes his head. When I can stop, I apologize. “Sorry, but men really are crazy. I spent as much time with you as I could while you were hurt and after your eye surgery. Cyborg.” I laugh again and he walks out.
I follow. “Jinx, just tell him how you feel. You told me. He’s your brother and loves you. Tell him he’s welcome here anytime. He even has a room here. Maybe he just needs to know he’s still welcome and nothing has changed between you two.”
He lifts me right up. “Yeah, you don’t care if he stays here. He doesn’t even know you. I’ll tell him. Thanks, baby. Just so you know, my head was fucked up before. I found Anton and it felt so fucking good to realize I’m still me with some help. I don’t feel like that anymore. You don’t care about the skeleton or my eyes.”
I kiss his chin and hit his shoulder so he’ll put me down. “No, I don’t. No one else does either. Men find the cyborg thing cool. I don’t get it but they do. Robots, video things, cyborgs, it’s all big money ticket sales at the movies and to gamers. I’m sure whatever Tide said was attached to a coolness factor. You have always been and will always be Jinx. I love Jinx so don’t lose that guy. I have to get to work.”
“Me too. I’m in training this morning. I’ll text Brinks and ask him for dinner or maybe we can go there.”
I grab my purse and bag and walk out to the garage. “I can’t. I have the first training shift for office workers.”
“I’ll ask him up. We can light the pit and see you when you get home. Champ, ride.”
I get on the trike with him and smile. “That will work perfect.”
~*~*~
Stella comes through my door fast. “I’m just sitting. I don’t have an office here.” She’s angry and looks like she’s ready to cry. Because she’s Stella, tough and stubborn, I don’t think she’ll tell me why she’s angry and ready to cry.
I nod and text Trask about an office for Stella while she’s here. He writes the one next to me is empty. “Come with me.”
“I just need a minute.”
“I have an office that’s now yours while you’re here. You can take as many minutes as you want in it.”
“Are you fuckin’ serious? I get an office just like that? I should have said something sooner.”
I push the door open without answering. “I’ll print a nameplate out and tape it to your door. It’s temporarily all yours.”
She hugs me and holds on. I push the door closed and her into a chair. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve been here for more than a month and have no idea where I fit in. Kyler and Seth are happy anywhere they go. I need a home, my Lab and work. It’s not much to ask for. You’d think I’m asking for the fuckin’ moon the way Brinks talks.”
“You’ve talked to Brinks?”
“Push pop showed in Ops. His first fuckin’ words were, “What the fuck, now she’s running your Ops?” I never said a fuckin’ word to him. I wasn’t even looking that way.”
What the heck is up with Brinks. He was never rude like that when he was here. He was just moody and quiet. “Who was on?”
“Pres Trask. He sent me out. He’s fuckin’ scary when he’s pissed.”
I nod. “They’re all like that. Brinks was quiet but never rude. I spent some time with him when Jinx was hurt. I don’t understand what his problem is. He hasn’t talked to Jinx at all and won’t answer his calls.”
She sits back. “They talk every day.”
I shake my head no. “They haven’t since Anton was found.”
“Push pop is a fuckin’ twit. I don’t know how Jinx is related to him.”
I laugh. “They’re identical twins. They even get the same messy haircut.” I don’t have a problem telling them apart. Hannah said Trask did. Jinx and his smile make it easy. Even grumpy and in pain, he always found reasons to smile.
She laughs. Hannah walks in and smiles seeing Stella happy. “I thought you’d have the office torn apart by now.”
“No, fuckin’ push pop threw me but Debra