My system finished its reboot and my screen flared to life. “I guess I can get back to work.”
“Are you sure everything’s OK?” she asked. “Normally, you play back.”
My initial reaction was to tell her I wasn’t her plaything, but just thinking that told me something was off. “Honestly, you won’t believe me.”
“Iknew it,” she said in a loud whisper. “Spill, kiddo. What’s got you uptight? Henry freezing you out? Being too clingy? Has a…?” She wiggled her pinky.
“Jeez, Brenda!” My voice was a bit too loud.
“Sorry, but it worked.” She shrugged. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”
After her inappropriate comment, I almost didn’t answer, but if she didn’t believe me, I’d tell her I was messing with her for the pinky action. “So you know how my numbers are way up the last week?”
“Yes, and thanks to you I’m also going to get a bigger production bonus this month.”
I’d file that interesting fact away to use another day. “Now my hearing is going crazy. I heard Alma talking while she was at her desk, and I was right here. That’s impossible. Then I heard something about a merger that I’m sure I’m not supposed to know about. It’s like I have super hearing or something.”
I waited for the expected rebuke, laugh, or eye roll—some days I got all three—but Brenda didn’t do any of those. Instead, she studied me with a concerned expression, and I worried she’d have me committed to the psych ward. “I’m not making it up, Brenda.
“I know you’re not,” she said. “I just don’t have an answer for you. Are you in pain? Is it f’ing with your mind? Can you turn it off?”
Focusing on her and her words, I didn’t hear the other voices. “No, no, and I think so. When I’m doing something else, like talking to you or working, I don’t hear them.”
“Maybe you should go home and get some rest,” she said gently. “You’ve already made your numbers for today and most of tomorrow, and you have plenty of leave.”
Normally, I wouldn’t consider leaving early if I wasn’t really sick, but this wasn’t normal. Brenda was right on both counts, and some quiet time to clear my head might be a good thing. “You sure it’s okay?”
“Absolutely, Nick.” She pointed to my computer. “Besides, you’re already signed out.”
It was a lame argument, but it didn’t stop me from grabbing my bag. “Good point. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I paused before I left my cubicle. “Thanks, Brenda. I appreciate you always watching out for me.”
“Always,” she said and pulled me into a hug. “You’re like a second little brother to me.”
The way she interacted with Zeke, she wasn’t kidding. “You’re like my only sister to me.”
I left before things got awkward. Feelings weren’t our thing, and that mutual love fest was too close to the line.
Using my earphones, I kept out most of the noise on the Metro. The train wasn’t crowded, which helped, but I still caught snippets of people’s conversation.
“...told him I'm pregnant...”
“...the account numbers don't match...”
“...if she finds out I'm cheating...”
By the time I reached the Silver Spring station, my head was pounding. Our complex was usually peaceful, but today I could hear the gardener two buildings over talking on his phone, the mail carrier complaining about her kids, and two dogs barking in the neighborhood behind our building.
I took deep breaths as I climbed the stairs. Given the hour, I didn’t expect Trevor to be home, which would give me time to collect myself before trying to explain things to him.
Stopping by our door, I twisted my backpack around to get my keys.
“We need to tell him,” Trevor said. His voice came through as clear as if he was standing next to me.
“You know we can’t.” Henry's voice had the tinny quality of a phone speaker. “Uriel forbade it.”
I froze, my key hovering in the lock. Why was Trevor home? What did he want to tell me? And who was this Uriel that he could tell them what to do?
“I know what Uriel said.” Trevor sounded frustrated. “But he’s not here, and Nick's powers are manifesting faster than even he expected. Crazy good hearing is a classic sign of someone coming into their powers. And he made the lights flicker again when he got upset. That's the third time in two weeks.”
