“You two have as much fun as you want to.” I struggle into my sweater and then step into my shoes. “I will talk to you once I know what’s going on with Anne, and then we’ll figure outtonight, and you can do anything you want to me, with me, for me.”
“Anything?”
“Anything legal and within reason.”
Mooralan pretends to pout again.
“Don’t forget to eat,” I call as I hurry out the door.
I fix my hair in the reflection of the lift wall.
Running my tongue over my teeth, I grimace. I should have brushed them.
It’s too late now.
My watch tells me I’m going to be late, so I jog through the halls and then I run through the back corridors to get to Phantom’s.
Once I’m inside, I go straight to their office.
“Hey!” Anne says, with a bright smile.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“It’s okay, Phantom was just explaining the last of the options to me.”
“Yeah?” I look at my noncorporeal boss. “Did they give you the tour and everything?”
“A woman named Coral did.” Anne nods and then Phantom’s shape shifts to standing.
“Anne needs to head back to Earth now, however. Perhaps you should talk in the shuttle waiting room instead.”
“Thanks, we will.” I hook my arm in hers, and she looks around, still wide eyed—I remember the feeling—until we’re in the waiting room.
“If I hadn’t been in the club, I could believe that was a TV and this was all a prank. But I think I’ve seen too much.”
“Too much? Or enough?”
She flops into one of the cushy seats. “Yes.”
We’re alone—or, as alone as one can be in Phantoms. I know the bots record everything.
“So,” I ask, sitting down next to her. “What do you think?”
“I hung out in the booth waiting room for a little bit, talked to several of the women who work here… they all love you, by the way. As soon as they found out I was your sister, it was like I was already a part of the group.”
“Pretty sure you would have gotten there just as quickly without dropping my name.”
“Then Coral gave me a tour and… I was not prepared for the clients.” Looking at the bright flare out the view port, she leans close and whispers, “This definitely isn’t Sheboygan.”
“No, it is not.” I laugh with her.
“Phantom told me I can make my own schedule, bail at any time, all of that.”
“And the benefits are pretty great, on top of the pay and the tips.”
“Really?”
“Remember how I needed another knee surgery?”
