Page 43 of Technical Advances

“Benji,” his father warned.

“Anson, look!” Benji shared his phone with me, where an image of our apparatus spun slowly. I could see immediately where he’d tweaked it.

I smiled down at the phone, then up at Benji. “That’s it!” He was beaming back at me, and the look on his face caused a sensation to run through me that I don’t think I had ever felt before. That fist in my gut exploded into something else entirely, something much more charged and much more pleasant.

I couldn’t remember a time when I’d felt so many emotions in such a short period of time. It was a strong reminder of why I had ordered my life the way I had. Only, when I looked at Benji, I didn’t so much mind the disorder, not if it meant I got to spend time with him.

“Sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to be rude; I just had a …”

“A brain blast,” Ben jumped in, smiling fondly at his son despite his frustration. When Benji looked embarrassed by the phrase, Ben glared at me again. Benji wouldn’t have to be embarrassed if I weren’t there.

“Dad.” There was that pink tint to his cheeks again, magnified by his glasses.

“What?” Ben chuckled, but it was tight. “That’s what you always called it when you were a kid.”

Benji looked at both of us before responding.

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

CHAPTER 15

BENJI

Even though my relationship with Anson was complicated, to say the least, I had been so excited to reunite him and my dad, but dinner was just … weird. And ironically, I didn’t think it was the two socially awkward scientists making it so; at least not entirely. Truth be told, it was mostly Dad, being stupidly overprotective and thinking, what, that Anson Day had stolen my work? I felt I had to have a long talk with my dad, and that I owed Anson a huge apology.

It was true, I wasn’t a kid anymore, and I guess I couldn’t be an absent-minded scientist and simply ignore my situation either. Look where that had gotten me: an angry and confused dad and a confused and frustrated Anson.

Talking with Anson would have to wait, much as it was all I really wanted to do as we wrapped up the strangest dinner I’d ever had and said our goodbyes.

We shook hands as we left the restaurant, all formal thank you for dinner and congratulations on your graduation. I held Anson’s hand a beat too long, wanting to communicate so much in that one touch; our eyes locked as I spewed another “thank you” his way. I still didn’t know how I was going to manage to work with him day in and day out, when all I wanted to do was kiss him, but that was a problem for the future PhD to solve when he formally started his job at New Day Technologies. About-to-graduate Benji just had to focus on getting through to the next day, without his father trying to blow up his future.

I was still holding Anson's hand, about to wrap it with my other one as if I could solve our dilemma by touch alone or maybe just hold him there longer.

Before I could, my dad cleared his throat and placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “Big day tomorrow, son. Let’s get you home.”

I dropped Anson’s hand reluctantly, no closer to a solution. You could always go to work somewhere else, my brain supplied, but I knew that wasn’t the answer. Anson and I worked together too well to walk away from Project Orthos. I was sure we had other groundbreaking discoveries in us as well. Our collaborative partnership deserved to be explored for years to come. How we were going to manage that, I had no clue.

I turned away from Anson, guided by my father’s hand, frustratedly muttering, “Scientists solve problems,” as we exited the building. Dad led me down the sidewalk.

“What was that, Benj?”

“Oh, nothing, Dad. Just thinking out loud. You know, a brain blast!” I tried for a smile and could only hope that it didn’t look as forced as it felt.

My dad hadn’t moved his hand. He squeezed one more time as he stopped and pivoted toward me, his other hand finding my shoulder as well. The group of people behind us glared at me as they split up and filtered around us. My dad was oblivious to them, and I thought about how he’d never lived anywhere but his hometown and wasn’t used to city-sidewalk etiquette.

“This job, Benji …” He looked so serious.

Another group split up on the busy street to walk around us. “This job is my dream come true. And this project! It’s amazing, Dad. Working with Anson is amazing! What we’re doing is going to change lives. You can look at all the legal stuff if you want to, but I think it’s really fair, and … I trust Anson, Dad. I know I haven’t known him very long but try and think of the kid you used to know and not the face of a multi-million-dollar business. That’s who I’m working with, the kid, like me, who could spend a week in his room if someone didn’t drag him out to the creek. Or I guess he’s the opposite!” I tried to lighten the mood. “You had to drag him from the creek so he didn’t stay out there all night! We’re working together on this project. My research and his research coming together. Please believe me.”

“I do believe you,” he said, making it clear that I hadn’t convinced him of anything that would allay his concerns.

He opened his mouth to continue, but someone brushed into him. He grunted in frustration and dropped his hands from my shoulders. Turning, he began to walk. We were quiet until we were situated on the T, seated side by side on the busy train, our shoulders brushing.

“I worry about you, kiddo,” he said softly in the quiet train car.

“You don’t have to, Dad. I swear.”

“It just seems very convenient that you and he were working on the same project. Like he might be taking advantage of you. Or maybe not him, directly, but his company,” he spewed out quickly.