“So, how’s the fam?” Dev asked before biting into his sandwich.
“They’re okay. Although….” Rick seemed to think about whether to talk about something before finally continuing. “We think Chris might be transgender.”
Dev’s eyes widened, and he nodded slowly as he swallowed the bite of sandwich in his mouth, then took a sip of the coffee. “Oh?”
“Yeah, I mean Chris’s never been the most masculine of boys, you know. Nothing like his brothers. But lately he’s been talking a lot about never wanting to cut his hair and wanting to wear dresses and such. He doesn’t have the words for it, I don’t think, but… yeah.” Rick shrugged and took a bite of his panini.
“He’s what, seven?” Dev tried to remember. At Rick’s nod, he pondered on it a while. “I mean, some people know even earlier than that. Have you thought about finding some help? Sure, it’s early days, but you know, if heisa she, or something in between, he might benefit from someone on the outside of your family for guidance and support.”
“Yeah, Dena is looking into it. She’s not worried, and I think they’re going to the mall tomorrow after school to get some nail polish for her, but she’s trying to see if Chris wants some too, you know?”
“That’s a good idea. Even if he’s just trying to figure out what kind of a boy he is, it’s not like nail polish is something that can harm him. Your kids are in the same progressive school we went to, right? By the Nemo headquarters?”
“Yeah, they’re all enrolled there. Your mom really made sure nobody would be bullied at that school after the Angel incident back in the day, or so I’ve heard….” Rick smirked at him a bit wryly.
“Oh yeah.” Dev remembered that still, more than a decade later. “I think the important thing would be giving him space to figure things out. Maybe have some girls over? Or better yet, have him go visit some girls. I mean, your house is pretty testosterone filled, so having him see a girl’s room might be good for him.”
“That’s not a bad idea, thanks. I think some of Dena’s friends have girls his age, and I think the new guy your dad hired for the Secret Project’s team has twin girls who are around his age too…,” Rick pondered out loud.
They were in that sort of situation that came from working alongside each other via an online connection. They were friends, sort of, but their actual real lives didn’t quite connect. They’d never met in the two years they’d worked together on and off, which seemed weird, because Dev knew a lot about Rick’s family. Like that he had five kids, all boys between three and thirteen years old.
Once they were done with snack time, they got back to work. Somewhere around midnight, Angel came in to shoo Dev off the computer to go to the bathroom—yeah, so he forgot sometimes when he was in the working zone—and when Dev came back to his room, Angel sat in his chair and looked at him with an expression Dev couldn’t quite read.
“What?”
“You got a text from someone called Tree Man. Says you were missed and that the movie was good. Something about a reward too?”
Dev’s first instinct was to tell Angel off for reading his messages, but then his reasonable side realized he’d left the phone so the text would have appeared on the lock screen anyway. That, and the phone was right there next to his keyboard. Dammit.
“Yeah, work trumped date,” Dev said, attempting casual but failing a little.
“Well, I’m off to bed. See you tomorrow,” Angel said, after giving him a long, pointed look of “we’ll talk about this eventually.” He got out of Dev’s seat and left the room.
He didn’t tell Dev not to work too late, because he knew the nature of his job. He and Rick would work until they dropped or the problem was solved.
They were so close to solving it, Dev could taste it. He opened the water bottle and took a sip, then another, until he’d drained the bottle completely. Seth’s reminder of hydrating himself came to mind, and he blushed a little.
“So, someone new?” Rick asked without looking into the camera. He had a smug expression on his face, though.
“Uh-huh. It might really be two someones, but don’t tell my family yet.”
Rick’s eyebrows rose. He seemed to give it some thought, then nodded, his eyes still firmly in the data. “Like a poly thing?”
“Yeah, they’re older. Been together for a decade. Great guys.”
“As long as everyone treats everyone well, why not? Now back to work, kid.”
Chuckling, Dev settled back into the rhythm of comparing data and findings.
SOMETIME JUSTpast five in the morning, Dev said bye to Rick and closed the Skype connection. He was tired enough to sway on his feet and had to drag himself to the bathroom. He peed and drank a glass of water, then wobbled back to his bedroom, just to face-plant on his bed.
He woke up to his phone ringing. Somehow it was under his pillow, so he must’ve put it there with the last strength he’d had. He didn’t look at the time, just hummed into the phone.
“This is becoming a habit, I see,” a wry tone said.
“’Mnot awake,” Dev grunted.
“I can tell. It’s twelve thirty, and I happen to have the rest of the day off. I also know your brother is stuck at the college until five. Do you want me to pick up Leaf and come feed you?”
