Page 45 of Master's Rise
“I need a job. I’m a good worker and don’t need special times.” She looks like she’s challenging me, but it’s not a look that can handle me laughing right now so I keep that shit to myself.
I smile. “Sounds like a good fit. Do you have experience or need to be trained?”
She looks down embarrassed and I want to hit her husband. Just once, that’s all it will take. “I need to be trained,” she says softly.
I would do the about-face thing again but really, she’s looking at the floor. “Sammy, I need you to set Dana up for training.” While all these thoughts flit across my brain surrounded by little red hearts, I think I need to wonder if it’s me that’s causing the weirder than Ripley’s things to happen.
Dana looks up surprised. Sammy leaves the Prospect and comes over taking Dana’s hand. “Welcome aboard. I’m Sammy, one of the trainers. Do you have your application?” I might have done that if I was acting like a normal adult.
Dana shakes her head no and Sammy sets her up at a table with one. I check on the Prospect then Cort. Hade and Falcon are gone so I meander that way determined to act my age and not like a teenager hiding floating hearts in her head.
Plopping in the seat beside him makes him laugh. “Tough day?”
Pushing floating hearts away I answer sullenly. “The Brothers are bottomless pits.”
They laugh at me. With a shrug, I ask.“How has your day been since the market?”
They look at each other, then me. Men are so weird. “Uneventful. We may have to help Sharon move Dave’s shit. She threw him out.”
That’s good. “Serves him right. Dana’s here looking for a job. Her husband might as well have chained her to the house. She’s determined to work. I bet she either moves out or throwshimout too.”
He looks pissed. I love that he is on her behalf. “What’s her husband’s name. I’ll watch out for her.” Floating hearts bounce around his head.
“Mel. He’s older than her.” Squashing the thought of love until we’re alone, I start to feel like an adult again.
Again, with the looking at each other. “He was at the studio I think,” Raid says.
“He was hung too? It doesn’t surprise me. I hope Dana hosed him.” I laugh at how that sounds. Since they do too, I shrug.
“You’re cute, Kram.” He stops and touches the collar of his spacesuit. “Yeah, Jinx.”
Raid stands and I slide off the seat knowing Cort needs to go. With a kiss and promise of seeing me before I go to class, he’s gone leaving all the floating hearts behind. I salute the door and get to work before someone hangsmefrom a building.
~*~*~
Victory and Freedom come in and Freedom does a double-take seeing Dana behind the counter in a uniform shirt.
I smile watching Victory’s smile then she greets Dana like she’s a hostess for me.“Look at you! I’m so glad to see you here working for what you want!” With an over-the-counter hug, she doesn’t stop. “Stay strong and tell us when you need help with that. We’ve got fields of flower power just waiting for you to ask for some. Wealwaysshare.”
Freedom pulls her away. “Stop making everyone think in sexual innuendos, we haven’t shared in years.”
I cover my mouth thinking this is why I’m going crazy. Sammy busts out laughing right along with a Prospect, but Freedom isn’t done. “You call if you need us, we’ll show up or get you help.”
Dana nods. I can only see her back but she must have her deer-in-the-headlights look on. “I got a crystal that will help you draw strength,” Victory says digging in the beach bag she calls a purse.
Spinning, I getmyworkout bag and purse avoiding more crystals myself. I still got a couple of days on the two minutes I took of the flower-power hug.
“Danielle, I’m off. See you tomorrow, everyone.”
‘Byes’ follow me, but ‘see you on the sunny side’ stops my feet for a second. They honestly do say it, I thought he was being funny. I really do love the man that I met just a few bizarre days ago. I almost laugh, before his women’s movement.
I smile and Victory is coming at me.“Come here!”
What? “No! I got a couple of days!” Stepping to the side, I try to hide behind Freedom. “She’s breaking the rule, Freedom!”
Freedom’s hand leaves her side and I’mnotsnagged by the flower-power Care Bear. When I look around her, Victory is standing still shooting daggers out of her eyes at Freedom. “Love ya, Victory, but I got days left.”
She smiles bright like daggers were never invented and it’s got me shaking my head. “Is it me or is everything getting weirder. Even simple interaction seems to be weird.” Looking from one to the other, I wait for them to consider it. Apparently, it’s a good question because they spend time thinking about it.
