Page 78 of Girl, Empty
‘Ha.You couldn’t handle a real Sandra Special anymore.Not at your age.’
'True,' Kevin admitted.There was a fifteen-year age gap between him and Sandra, but after 40, the numbers didn't really make a difference, no matter how far apart they were.'But I'll give it my best shot.'
‘Maybe later.Keep the kids busy while I finish this, will you?’
On cue, Liam walked into the kitchen holding a basketball.‘Dad.Hoops.What do you think?’
‘Now?’
‘I know what you’re going to say.It’s dark and cold outside.’Liam threw the ball hard at Kevin’s chest but he managed to scoop it up.He still had it, even in his sixties.
‘We’re about to have dinner.’
‘So?Sounds to me like you’re scared.’
Kevin inspected the ball, tested the weight.‘No, it’s not that.It’s just…’
‘Just what?’
He gave his son the eyebrow, then the smirk.‘Just that no one’s called NASA to request a liftoff.’
‘Oh yeah?’
Kevin threw the ball back at him.‘Meet you outside in five.Be ready.’
‘On it.’
He turned back to Sandra, who rolled her eyes and slid the roast back in the oven.Days like this didn’t come often enough, he thought.
And then his phone buzzed somewhere on the kitchen table.
Not the ping that came with texts or the buzzing that came with calls.It was an ugly shriek.
‘That’s not work, is it?’Sandra asked.
‘Dunno,’ Kevin said.He found his phone, and there was an alert he’d only seen once before plastered on the screen.
CRITICAL ALERT - Mainframe Coolant Leak Detected - Server Room 42A.
‘Yeah, it’s work.’
‘Uh, what did we say about work calls on days off?’
‘No, look.It’s an alert from the security company.’Kevin showed Sandra the screen.‘Something’s wrong with 42A apparently.’
‘Sounds serious.Which one is that?’
‘The main one.’
‘Is it a big deal?’
Kevin wanted to say no.He occasionally got false alerts from this app, and it was usually because the network connection had dropped or something equally ridiculous.‘Yeah it is, but…’
‘Call IT?’
‘Come on.I can’t call anyone in on MLK day, can I?Imagine that.It’s taken me 20 years to convince people I’m not a complete bastard.I can’t undo that now.’
Sandra clapped her hands.‘You better go then.Chop chop.If you’re quick, you can get back before this gets cold.’
