Page 18 of Brax

“You’re pale,” he said, kissing her forehead.

“I’m just tired,” she said.

“Let’s go,” said Lena. “I’ll check you out at the cottage, but if I think there’s something wrong, you’re going right back to the clinic.”

CHAPTER TEN

“She seems to be just fine. Her blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate are all fine. No fever, no tremors. She just seems to be having a little headache. It feels normal since she works with very tiny components. Take off the next few days and go back to work next week.”

In spite of her desire to get back to normal, Stephanie had to admit that she just wasn’t feeling like herself. Maybe she’d rushed her recovery and should do as she was told.

“You’re probably right,” she frowned.

“I heard my girl was sick,” smiled Irene from the door. “Would a walk in the fresh air help her?”

“It might,” nodded Lena. “Nothing too fast or too taxing.”

“Child, I’m over a hundred years old. How fast do you think I’m gonna walk?” They all just nodded, chuckling at the older woman as she held out her hand for Stephanie.

Brax watched them walk toward the gardens, smiling at Irene and her ability to be exactly where she was needed when she was needed.

“What do you think?” asked Lena. “There’s nothing physical there.”

“I think she could be just exhausted,” he said. “But I am worried about the thought of someone connected to either her donor or even perhaps Stephanie herself. Is it possible that a clone can be a donor for another clone?”

“It’s possible,” said Lena. “Probably not a good idea, but I suppose it would be possible.”

“Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?” he asked.

“Stephanie turned out just fine. In fact, from what we know, she’s even better than her donor. Smarter, physically more perfect, if you will. But we don’t know all the details. At least not yet.” Brax nodded at Lena.

“Then I suppose I need to find the details.”

“Ines, you’re late again,” said her boss, walking toward her.

“I-I know. I’m sorry. I had car trouble this morning.” She turned in her chair, causing tremendous pain in her back and side. Wincing, he stopped and stared at her, frowning.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I think I just over did things this weekend. I’m sore, that’s all. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Ines, this is the fifth time in four months. We can’t tolerate this. We run a very tight ship here, and our people are required to clock in before 8:30 a.m. You rarely make that. Now, I give you grace of a few minutes that I don’t give others, but one more time, and I’m going to have to make a change.”

“Please. Please, don’t do that,” she pleaded. “I’ll be better. I promise.” He nodded, staring at her and then looking toward the other desks that were scattered throughout the workspace.

“I e-mailed last week about the project, and you never replied.”

“I’m sorry. As I told you, I had a death in the family.”

He looked at her with suspicion and then shook his head. He didn’t believe a word coming out of her mouth, but human resources had advised him that she would have to be handled with kid gloves. One wrong move, one wrong statement, and she’d have a huge lawsuit against them all.

“Alright. I’m sorry for your loss,” he said through clenched teeth. “Could you please review it and get back to me? And, Ines? Last chance. Be here on time.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, nodding at him. A few minutes later, there was a carefully worded e-mail detailing their conversation and asking her to sign it, indicating her agreement and understanding. If she were late again, she could be terminated.

He had no clue what she’d been through these last few days. Finally finding the one person she needed, she’d driven to New Orleans, searched and searched for something or someone that felt right, and then hid on top of that ladder behind that damn tree. Her whole body was telling her what a fool she’d been.

“Jerk,” she muttered.

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