Page 5 of Convergence

Again, they were patient as I gathered the words to speak. “I was in a serious car accident when I was thirteen. It left me with some injuries that made it difficult to talk for a long time. I can talk now, but it is still difficult. I’m not mute or anything.”

“Wow, I’m sorry that happened to you,” Nate said, and Everett nodded.

I smiled. I still never knew what to say here.

“Then we will have to shut up sometimes and let you talk when you’re ready,” Nate said and put the dishes in the dishwasher.

“’We,’” Everett whispered to me with a deep chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Nate shot back. “But if one of you is a mute cowboy and one of you is the strong, silent type, I gotta fill the silence.”

Everett warned, “No, you do not.”

After we cleaned up, we went our separate ways to our rooms to check in with family and organize the bags we had brought. Each of us had only brought overnight bags, as had been directed by Hoffmann.

I texted dad and Caleb to let them know I was settled into my new place and that I had had a good day. Dad asked about the project, and I let him know I signed an NDA that prohibited me from talking to him about it. We coordinated how the rest of my bags would be shipped to me, as he could not take time off work before my project started and I had to isolate. I had grown up only a few hours away from Truman College, but I didn’t mind dad not making the drive. I hadn’t even wanted him to drop me off at the hotel- I had taken a bus. Ever since the accident, both he and I had dreaded time in cars and limited our traveling time. I went as far as to never learn how to drive. That level of responsibility for my safety and the safety of everyone around me seemed like too much only three years after my accident, and I never went back to learn as I got older. Caleb sent me flirty texts and a selfie at one of the local bars back home. He was alone at the bar, but we didn’t have the type of relationship that held him back from picking someone up or dating. Our casual, friends first, relationship wasn’t typical, but it worked for us. I wished him luck and was about to put my phone down when a text came through.

Unknown number (1): Hey nerdies, how was pizza?Pizza emoji

Unknown number (2): Maria’s Pizzas is the winner.

Unknown number (2): Wait who is this and how’d you know we got pizza?

Unknown number (1): It’s Daisy!

A pouting selfie loaded. It was indeed Daisy… and her cleavage.

Me: Hi Daisy! This is Eva, everyone.

Unknown number (2): I’m Nate.

Unknown number (3): Ev

Daisy: Okay nerdies, now I need selfies from you.

Nate:low-res gif of a lawnmower flying through the air.

Everett: No.

Daisy: Oh please! Come on, I’m on the worst date everrrr.

Me:a quickly taken selfie of me at the window with the setting sun on my face.

In quick succession, all three of them liked my selfie. I blushed, alone in my room.

Daisy: oh, girlllheart eyes emojiI’ll see you three in the morning for your lab tour!

3

The sun was just peeking over the horizon and creating a soft glow over the neighborhood when I woke up for my run the next morning. I threw on a black, longline sports bra, a pair of black running shorts, and my hot pink shoes and tiptoed down the stairs. Once outside, I put in my earbuds and chose my music. I didn’t know the area or any parks yet, so I did a jog around the neighborhood. Most of the houses on my route looked similar to ours, a few better taken care of than others, but otherwise similar in size and design. This neighborhood was right outside the city and most of the houses were old city bungalows with tiny yards. A coin op laundromat, a convenience store, a deli, a bar, and a church were within three blocks of our house. I wondered if I’d ever set foot in them or only jog past them before they were open most mornings. The birds in the area were active at this hour and the city was just waking up to start its day. Warm yellow sun unmarred by city pollution streaked through the trees and between houses.

After my jog, I returned to the house to find Everett in the kitchen. He was wearing low slung red plaid cotton pajama pants and a white t-shirt. He looked up sharply when I snuck up the three stairs from the side door into the kitchen.

“Good morning,” I said, breathless from my run.

He looked me up and down, taking stock of my running attire. His eyes stuck for a moment on the scars on my right knee before continuing. “Good morning,” he replied after a moment.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” I said, getting a bottle of water from the fridge.

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