Page 121 of Dream Mates
Especially since I’d also been asked that at the science dinner–and at a Daedalus Society function.
We chatted as we ate lunch then the program started. After, I caught a couple of sessions, then headed over to the other side of the hotel where the Daedalus Society reception was.
I texted Spencer.
Me
Off to the reception, see you at the party. Hope your meetings are going well.
The lobby and bar area were filled with people talking and drinking. A lot of them weren’t even wearing symposium badges. But this was probably a good place to network.
An omega sat at a table with a Daedalus Society sign, checking people off a list. There was delta security present. Deltas were about as big and strong as alphas and often used as security. A few alphas sat nearby chatting and having drinks.
“Students aren’t free? Usually, students are free. Are we at least half price?” the young woman in front of me asked.
“I’m sorry. This place is really expensive so we can’t do that for this one,” the woman at the table said.
“Oh. Should we just go? If we leave now maybe we won’t have to pay for parking?” Her shoulders drooped and she turned to the guy with her.
My heart went out to them. I remembered those days. How many networking events had I missed because I didn’t have money for gas or parking or a drink at the bar?
“I’ll pay for them. Also, I’ll pay for any students that don’t have tickets. Here.” I fished one of my brand new business cards out of my pocket and wrote my cell number on it.
“Really? That’s very kind of you,” the woman behind the table said, as I scanned my phone, paying for their tickets. I’d already paid for mine ahead of time.
“Thanks, but why would you do that?” the guy asked me.
“A couple months ago I was eating instant noodles for dinner every night, and now I have a job that pays me ridiculously,” I replied, checking myself in.
We went inside and I headed for the bar.
“Thanks,” the woman called, as the guy said, “I’m going to text Ina.”
The reception was a little uncomfortable. The couple of people I recognized from my chapter were not very welcoming and a few others dismissed me because of who I worked for. Maybe I should just head over to the Compass BioTek party.
“Thanks again,” the guy I’d paid for said. He was at a table full of what were probably students. “This is the person who paid for our tickets. I’m Russ.”
“Um, you can sit with us, if you want. We’re just students though,” the young woman who’d been with him added.
“Thanks.” I took an empty chair. “I’m Grace, I work for Compass BioTek, and I’m feeling massively out of place here.” I laughed and took a pull of my beer.
Someone leaned in. “I didn’t expect it to be stuffy. Our stuff is fun, but I’m also in a university chapter.”
The students were chatty. Most of them went to university in the area, were presenting tomorrow, or were here with professors.
Russ looked at me. “You have a PhD, right? Do you have a pack? Did people give you shit about getting a PhD when you’llJust get packed up like a good little omega?”
Several people grimaced.
“I hate that fucking question,” someone muttered.
“Um, I’m actually a gamma. I didn’t really get any of that during my PhD. But I mostly did directed study.” It felt weird to lie like that, though that’s what my fake record said. “But I did get a little of that during undergrad.”
Not from classmates but from church people, especially since I went to a state university and not a small Christian college.Why go to college if you’re just going to stay home with the kids?I didn’t even find a husband while in college, either.
More heads nodded.
“You’re a gamma? I’ll have to tell my friend Enid. She’s a gamma, too, and would love meeting another. She’s not a scientist, though,” Russ told me.
