Page 46 of Property of Max
I laugh, shaking my head. “Listen to me. I sound like a teenager. What I really need to do is get out there and find another job, not crush on some biker.”
“A very hot biker,” Cody sighs dramatically, throwing himself back onto the couch like he’s fainting. “You sure he’s not gay?”
“I sure hope not,” I giggle. “Gosh, Cody, what am I thinking? This is a horrible idea. I don’t have time to date someone. I need to focus on getting my own life in order before I drag someone else into it.”
“Sissy.”
The sound makes me frown at Micah’s call button for me. Not the emergency one, thank God, but still.
“Shouldn’t he be asleep?” Cody laughs, pushing off the couch. “Come on, let’s go see what he wants. I hope it’s a chess rematch. One of these days, I’m going to beat him.”
“Not happening,” I sigh, getting to my feet. “He cheats. I’m sure of it.”
“Sure would explain how I’ve never won a match in years,” Cody mutters. “Jerk.”
Walking into the room, I can’t help but smile. Micah’s in bed, not lying flat like I left him, but propped up in that half-sitting position he likes. Another thing he can manage himself with just a flick of his eyes and the software tracking his movements. It still amazes me. He can even control his chair that way, though right now his reflexes aren’t sharp enough to do more than inch forward a few seconds before bumping into something.
“Wide awake, I see,” I say, easing down onto the side of his bed. “Everything okay?”
“Date?”his tablet asks after a pause.
I smile and shake my head. “I already told you all about my date when I got home earlier.”
Micah flicks his eyes back to the screen. These aren’t pre-programmed phrases, so it takes longer. When the word finally appears, it’s clipped.
“Funday.”
“Funday?” I repeat, then grin. “Oh! You mean Funday Friday? I don’t have it planned out yet. Any ideas? Movies? Swimming? Skydiving? Shark diving?”
“Oh, shark diving? Like in those tanks? Count me in,” Cody says from the other side of the bed. “Think a shark would let me pet it? I’ll probably try regardless.”
“Thrill,”Micah says, looking right at him.
“He is a thrill seeker,” I tease. “Not always a good thing. Anyway, what idea did you have?”
“Max.”
The word appears almost instantly. He must’ve programmed Max’s name into his common phrases. That thought alone makes me smile.
“You want Max to come?” I ask.
Micah blinks once.
“Okay… so not that. Then what are you trying to say?”
“Take your time, bud,” Cody says gently. “We’re not going anywhere.”
I swear I hear Micah sigh as he focuses back on the tablet. While he works, I move to the counter and start setting up supplies for tomorrow’s feeding pump.
“Buddy, can you tell the difference when your aunt gives you the vanilla shake versus the chocolate one?” Cody asks. “Bet you can feel it in your stomach. Chocolate just hits right, doesn’t it?”
I don’t see Micah’s answer, but I hear Cody grunt like he’s won. “Figured. Give him chocolate tomorrow, Lila. Do they make strawberry?”
“He used to hate strawberry milk,” I laugh, remembering Micah spitting it across the table when he was little. “But I can always grab one and see if he likes it now.”
“He’s blinking like crazy,” Cody chuckles. “Yeah, that’s big fat no.”
Several minutes later, Micah finally has his message ready.
