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It was amazing. But I was not admitting that to him. If that’s what started his years of absence from our home—from Mom, then I refused to compliment it.
“Please prepare for docking,” Candice chirped.
“Prepare?” I said, unable to control the high-pitched way it came out. “Is it dangerous?”
Jackson laughed, no doubt enjoying torturing his sister. It was like we’d gone back in time to elementary school. I shouldn’t have been surprised. We hadn’t spoken much since he took the job at BS in our father’s department, working under him. Better that than in AI with Alyssa. Truthfully speaking, she was closer in age to him than our father. Youngest woman to ever earn a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Bennet University, she was the logical choice to take over the position from Candice when she was promoted to the equivalent of second in command four years earlier. That’s when the affair started and when Mom’s first bout of cancer was diagnosed, which made it that much worse. Before that, we’d all gotten quite good at pretending it was normal for Dad to never be around—always working.
I wondered where Alyssa was. It was entirely possible she was avoiding me. That thought brought a big smile to my face.
“You have nothing to worry about, Little Dragon. Just a formality to announce the docking procedure.”
I nodded and leaned back into Dad’s chest, allowing myself to feel safe for once. It was almost perfect until I heard Alyssa’s voice.
“Oh, I’m so glad you two are getting along!”
I pulled away from my dad and hugged myself, stepping far enough away to make a point without saying it. She didn’t seem to notice, though, as she cozied up to him, taking my place in his arms. Her perfect face with her perfect, smooth, dark skin and perfect long lashes, and perfect straight smile lit up as though from within as he rocked her slowly side to side, wrapping his arms around her.
My stomach swam as if the angelfish outside the closest window had crawled inside it.
“Have you enjoyed the ride, Samantha?” she asked, continuing to beam like a bunch of nanosuns.
“Not really,” I said. Dad’s crinkle smile faded behind her, and I almost regretted speaking the truth.
Before anyone could say anything else, the shuttle lurched slightly. To calm down, I tried to convince myself it was another dolphin. But I soon realized it was the ship slowing for the docking procedure Candice mentioned.
It looked like we were about to smash straight into the giant glass bubble when we came to a full stop and dropped downward like an elevator until the view was replaced by a bright green door that slid open to admit us. Smooth as silk, the shuttle slipped inside and the door closed. The water around us drained through the grated floor and a second door opened, offering an upward slope festooned with marble mermaid and merman statues lining the glowing path.
“Impressed yet, sis?” Jackson asked as the oohing and ahhing crowd around us pushed their way outside.
“Too gaudy for me,” I said, feet stuck to the ground.
Jackson narrowed his hazel eyes at me and drew a hand back through his tawny hair as understanding lit his face.
“Come on. I’ll help you.”
Heat rushed to my pale cheeks. I’d never been able to hide a blush, so instead of arguing I accepted his offered hand. It was better than being stuck in the shuttle for a month. I scanned ahead and caught sight of Travis at the top of the incline. His sharp gaze bored into me, causing a tingle of anticipation to spread throughout my body. And together with my somewhat estranged brother, I moved forward, focused on possibilities I hadn’t originally considered, as opposed to the oppressive view.
