Page 25 of Technical Advances

Benji and I got to work.

There are no windows in the lab, and there have been many days when I’ve exited only to discover I’d worked well past sundown or sometimes even through the night. Benji and I had already done that the night before, but it never once crossed my mind how many hours it had been since I last slept. At one point, Benji registered movement outside the doors. I’d long ago learned to tune everything out when I was working in the lab.

“Your computer,” I explained, barely glancing up.

Benji chuckled as if he were embarrassed to have reacted to the movement outside the door when I had not. He slid his chair back. “Okay if I …” He pointed, and I nodded, taking the lanyard off my neck and handing it to him.

Benji reentered with the computer, setting it down on the desk. He returned to my side but only to drag the wheelless office chair around until he was facing me from the other end of the desk. He settled in, a little to my left side, unblocked by the large computer screens.

He was able to log in, and we both worked quietly for who knows how long.

“Wait,” he said at one point, jumping out of the chair, catching it before it toppled over. “Is that it?”

He was by my side, looking over my shoulder at the screen a second later. “Is it?” he asked again.

“I think so. Let’s start the printer and find out.”

He stood behind me as I uploaded our design, one of the printers waking up and starting its work. For reasons I was not quite sure of, Benji and I continued to stare at the model on the screen, his hand finding its way to my shoulder as the printer picked up speed on the other side of the room.

I froze, barely able to breathe. The image on the screen felt like a lifeline. I was afraid to turn and look at him, standing so close, his hand gripping me in his excitement. I didn’t dare move, terrified he’d pull away, caught between what I wanted, and what I knew I could never have.

After long minutes, Benji began, “Should we …” I started to nod, not sure if he was asking if we should check the printer, or start on something else, or wrap up for the day. He didn’t get to finish his thought, because at that precise moment, the doors swooshed open, and Beck stormed in. Benji had apparently not noticed movement outside the doors that time, because he jumped back, separating himself from my shoulder as Beck entered.

Beck had interrupted me many times over the years to drag me to torturous meetings or to make sure I ate something, more than once interrupting important thoughts. I don’t think I had ever been more frustrated by Beck’s intrusions than I was that evening.

Benji had his phone out. “Look at the time. It’s after eight. I’ve kept you past dinner again. I can see myself out.” He looked at Beck. “If that’s okay?”

I stood facing him, my back to Beck. “I suppose it is late. But again, I’d say I’m the one who has kept you. Let me call you a car?”

Beck made some kind of noise behind me, and Benji’s eyes left mine briefly to turn to him.

“Oh! No. Not necessary. I’ve still got my semester pass. I’ll take the T. No problem. I … I’m gonna get going. Good night, Anson. Good night, Beck.” Benji rounded the desk and walked past my partner.

Beck reached out and grabbed Benji by the upper arm. “Beck!” I admonished. He ignored me though he did immediately let go, holding his hand in front of Benji’s face instead.

“Um …” Benji was as unsure of Beck’s move as I was.

“You are not yet officially an employee, Benji. I’m going to need that lanyard from around your neck.”

I’d not even noticed that Benji still had my ID badge.

“Oh, of course. I’m so sorry.” Benji lifted the cord from around his neck and placing it in Beck’s outstretched hand, looking at me as he did so.

I shrugged, and Benji smiled before turning and leaving the lab. Beck and I watched him go, the door sliding shut automatically behind him. We both stood in our places for a beat.

“So, how’d that go, Ani?” Beck asked, slapping my lanyard down on the desk.

“It was great! We’ve got a component printing.” I pointed needlessly at the only piece of equipment working in the whole lab. “And we’ve moved forward on the …”

Beck’s hand was in front of my face. “No science! Come on, Anson, let’s get some dinner. Then I’m calling you a car, and I don’t want to see you here until after ten tomorrow. Have you even slept in the past two days?”

I thought about it and realized that I had not.

The next few afternoons continued shockingly similarly to that first day. Benji would show up, we’d have lunch in my office, and then we’d head to the lab. Each evening we’d be surprised when Beck barged in, complaining about the lateness of the hour and shooing Benji out.

After a week or so, we inevitably hit a roadblock, each of us staring at separate computers, sitting facing each other at our desk in the lab, my vision of him blocked by computer screens.

“We’re close,” I muttered.