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“Yeah, never tell Hayden. She’s working for the Boston Science Museum now. Still in admin but working with the educators’ programs.”
“Promise I won’t tell him.”
My phone dings, and Dax’s does not. He nods, knowing it’s not our Boston Brother’s text chain. I look down and stifle a smile.
MAK: Have a good night.
“Work stuff.”
I text back as Dax says, “You’re at work. Go fix it. No need to text.”
TONY: Night, little witch.
I slept on my office couch because we’re running through the beta testing of the site again in twenty. All components of the Cookery tests went horribly shitty all night. The coding is flawed and the fucking components don’t work. But I’ll smile and pretend it’s all as it should be. Rotten dress rehearsal and all that. I’m in the foulest of moods as I change into my clean emergency suit I keep stashed here.
It’s early where she is, but she’s always up.
TONY: Morning.
MAK: Hi. Sorry. I have to run to work.
An idea sparks to pull me from my crap ass mood. We keep missing each other because of work. After we do a bunch of testing this morning. I can take the day off. If I leave in an hour…
TONY: Are you at home?
MAK: Yes.
TONY: Are you going to work in your town?
MAK: Yes, you freak. Gotta go.
I yell loud enough to be heard on the entire floor. “LILL! Spark up the jet.”
mak
Shit, I’m tired from teaching scrapbooking this morning and my quiz. I have a rare day off. It’s still early, since these people get up at the crack of dawn, my scrapbooking workshop was at fucking 5:30 am. My plans for today, nothing but lay in my way too sunny room. Maybe a movie.
I turn my phone on to a series of texts. I keep him as “T” in my phone because I don’t want my parents to know I’m back in touch with him. They remember vividly how hard I took the breakup. I could never explain satisfactorily that it was my fault. They just knew I was a different person after I left him. But it’s been months of texting and it feels normal to have him in my life. Texting helps me to keep lies to a minimum. Our schedules don’t allow for more right now.
T: Address, please.
What the fuck is he talking about?
T: I’m here. Where are you? I want to see you. Our texts are boring. Let’s have a conversation.
MAK: You’re where?
I CAN NOT deal with this. Oh no. He can’t be.
T: LA
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
T: Have a late lunch with me.
MAK: You were in Boston.
T: Yes, and now I’m here because you said you were home and not traveling. So, pony up an address, please. Where are you?
