Page 85 of Seduced By the Mermen
“You’re afraid of fun?” I smile.
“No, you are. I’m afraid of her getting to know us too well.” Still leaning against my doorframe, Delmar crosses his arms over his chest.
“I’m not afraid of fun, and there’s nothing wrong with us. And the fact that you think there is...”
“There’s nothing wrong with us as individuals, but together?”
“I see your point.” I stand. “Did Rodgers give you the recipe before he left?”
“I wasn’t in the kitchen. Grading essays in the?—”
“Right, well an hour’s enough time for Zion to get his fluke home.” I pick up my block to message him.
“I’ve messaged him three times.” Delmar straightens and holds out his block with the unread messages.
“Right, I’ll try his assistant... What’s his name again? Odin? Borey, that’s it.”
“Borey? Are you serious? Who would name their podlet Borey? Though I did have a student named Orca a few years back. He went by Or instead.”
I blink at Delmar. Because I don’t know what he’s going on about.
“Boden Haccini lives on the third floor with his pod and three podlets: Archer, Owen, and Jasper. I think they’re expecting another podlet soon.”
“How in the hell do you remember all this?”
“I just do. It’s part of my job. Remembering people. Students, their parents, the siblings of the students I didn’t have or haven’t had yet. The grandparents. It’s just something I have to do. Like how I’m sure you know who designed every dome and when every dome went up in the city.”
“Right, I do.” I scroll through a directory of Stele and find the contact for Boden Haccini. “I’ll message Boden.”
“I’m doing it now. I should have done it myself. I had Archer just last year. I spent extra time after school helping him get his mathematics up to grade level.” Delmar’s fingers speed across his block, and he slides it back into his pocket. “I’ll let you know when I hear something.”
“All right.” I stare down at my sketch. We’re not a bad pod. And then I glance back to where Delmar had been standing. We’re not a bad pod? I turn back to my desk. But maybe Delmar’s right.
I’m back at the sketches for the bid of the Tinom dome, but my focus is gone. I’m thinking about Blair. I check my block, and there’s no message from Zion. I message Delmar about Zion’s assistant, and he says nothing yet. Even though it’s only a few minutes before Blair’s supposed to get here. I thought I’d work and then come and help eat whatever horrible confectionary Zion and Blair made.
I head down the corridor into the empty living room. “Hello?” This damn apartment is too big. Even for the seven of us, there’s no need... What would Blair want? Minimalist or an apartment full of artifacts like that of my anthropologist aunt?
I’m down the side corridor to the kitchen before I hear anything. “Hello?”
“We’re in here, Clark,” Forrest says.
“Where’s everyone else?” I ask.
“Grayson’s at the hospital,” Delmar says. “There’s something going on about the pod-raised female podlets today. Alexei’steaching an afternoon class. Sterling should be coming with Blair, and Zion better show up soon. This was his idea. And he’s the one who scheduled it during working hours.”
“Why are you home?” I ask Forrest.
“King Atlas canceled the governors’ session today to go to a presentation at the hospital. I’m supposed to be there too. This is more important.” Forrest nods to the counter where he’s collected flour and some other containers. There’s a sheepish grin on his face. “I haven’t missed a single meeting in fifteen years. Not one. That’s got to stop. I want this thing with Blair to work out. But if it doesn’t, I need more. I’ve been a servant to the citizens of Stele for a long time.”
“Are you going to resign?” I ask.
“Resign? I didn’t say that.”
“There’s a big difference between taking one day off and resigning! Also does it even qualify as a day off if your meeting was cancelled?” Delmar puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Exactly,” Forrest adds.
“Okay... okay.” I hold my hands up. “Any word back from Zion or his assistant yet?”
