Page 15 of Convergence

“Where is he now?” Nate asked quietly.

“Somewhere in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. He lives off the grid in a cabin. I haven’t seen him in years,” Everett finished, looking at us again. His blue eyes were distant and stormy.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nate said sincerely. I nodded and reached out to give Ev’s hand a quick squeeze.

We were quiet again for a few minutes before I spoke. “I feel like if I don’t talk to my dad, we’re going to lose contact.”

“How would that happen?” Ev asked, not understanding.

“My dad is kind of different. Ever since my mom died in the accident, he’s been reclusive and shut off. He’s not… unkind or unloving. He’s just a quiet person. When I’m home we can go many days on end without speaking to each other. Not because we’re angry, but we just… don’t talk,” I said quietly. “I know, ha ha, Eva doesn’t talk to anyone, but I could talk to my dad. I just… don’t.”

“So, isolation like this is normal life for you?” Nate asked with disbelief in his voice.

I smiled. “Not quite. Well… maybe, but it wasn’t forced on me, so it didn’t feel quite so stifling.”

“Stubborn,” Ev chuckled.

“Very,” I conceded with a giggle.

We had an office work heavy morning ahead of us, so we finished our run and went back home for showers and breakfast. As we were headed out to Marie Curie, a delivery driver was dropping a package off at our front door. Ev waved at him in thanks as he ran back to his delivery van.

“Ooh! Our cereal dispenser!” Nate exclaimed and went to pick up the package.

“Our what now?” Ev asked him, looking suspicious.

“It dispenses breakfast cereal when you turn the dial on the front like a gumball machine. It has three different containers so we each can have a type. Isn’t that so cool?” Nate explained excitedly.

I grinned at him. It was pretty cool, to be honest. His excitement was cute and even Ev was grinning as Nate went to put it in the house.

“That man is something else,” Ev chuckled as we settled in the two seats of Marie Curie.

Nate came out and gave a small pout when he saw me in the passenger seat. “Ugh, scoot over. You’re small enough to fit between us.”

I didn’t have time to form a response before Nate was pushing into the seat and sliding me down towards Ev. I fit between them fine. It was tight between their muscular torsos and their splayed legs, but considerably warmer in the autumn wind. I was wedged close enough to feel Ev’s phone vibrate in his pocket against my thigh.

Nate pulled out his own phone and showed me the text from Daisy.

Daisy: Did you guys really put in a grocery order for six different types of breakfast cereal, milk, coffee, and beef jerky?!

Nate: Yes. We keep a very balanced diet.

Daisy: You’re ridiculous!Crying laughing emoji.

Nate had read the texts out loud for Ev. “How does she know?” was Ev’s response.

Nate: How’d you know, anyway?

Daisy: A selfie for a secret.

Nate snapped a quick, rather unflattering picture of the three of us smashed into Marie Curie.

Daisy: Cuties! I set up the email address for your grocery and delivery accounts. Did you see what it was? It’s [email protected]

Ev had his signature smirk on as we pulled into the lab for a long day of work.

6

Ihad to work late one evening, and the guys left me to finish with the promise Nate would stay up to come get me. I was finishing a batch of information that was to be sent to Daisy for her processing. It was a long process, but I worked better on it without the distraction of the guys. It was a satisfying feeling hitting send on the email after hours and days and weeks of work.

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